How Do I Get A Smoother Cleaner Look From My Fondant?

Decorating By sloppybeaver Updated 13 Mar 2014 , 4:06am by AZCouture

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sloppybeaver Posted 8 Mar 2014 , 9:52pm
post #1 of 22

 

 

 

 

Above are the most recent cakes that I have made since septempber of last year. The most recent one is the "30th" Birthday and I am really unhappy on the wrinkles in my cakes. I see a lot of cakes with a nice clean sharp smooth look to them and I would like to learn more on how to accomplish this. Is it the crumb coat? Is it the thickness of the fondant? Possibly its because I use a shortening butter cream as appose to real butter cream?  Maybe im capturing to much air under the fondant? Can anyone please give me some ad

21 replies
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lcubed83 Posted 8 Mar 2014 , 10:05pm
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I just recently purchased and watched (repeatedly!) Jessica Harris' Craftsy class, Clean and Simple Cake Design.  In it she shows how to ice or ganache smoothly, the apply fondant with techniques for getting a nice sharp edge, etc.  This was worth every penny!!  My practice cake was fantastic IMHO!

 

 

 

On her blog, I believe she has a link for getting the class at a discount.  Craftsy also often has discounts, making a reasonable price even better!

 

Good luck!

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costumeczar Posted 9 Mar 2014 , 12:41am
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A major part of smooth fondant is the undercoat and how smooth it is. If you can get the icing really smooth and apply the fondant when the cake is chilled that will help.

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morganchampagne Posted 9 Mar 2014 , 12:52am
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AYep. Im not sure who started the thing of "Fondant will cover my mistakes". Not saying you thought thatby the way. But yes. Smooth frosting, smooth fondant

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costumeczar Posted 9 Mar 2014 , 2:08am
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Quote:

Originally Posted by morganchampagne 

Yep. Im not sure who started the thing of "Fondant will cover my mistakes". Not saying you thought thatby the way. But yes. Smooth frosting, smooth fondant

Well, it does cover mistakes if you put it on half an inch thick, which I think is how a lot of people do it. That will smash down a lot of bumps.

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morganchampagne Posted 9 Mar 2014 , 2:20am
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A

Original message sent by costumeczar

Well, it does cover mistakes if you put it on half an inch thick, which I think is how a lot of people do it. That will smash down a lot of bumps.

Yikes!!!!! I couldn't imagine!

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Mamabakes3 Posted 9 Mar 2014 , 2:41am
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AEwww, gross! LOL Half an inch thick?? What a waste!

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mcaulir Posted 9 Mar 2014 , 4:54am
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Half an inch thick has been pretty traditional on fruitcakes. The super thin covering is pretty recent, really.

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Mamabakes3 Posted 9 Mar 2014 , 5:00am
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AReally? Interesting. Is that because fruitcake is so bumpy?

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kazita Posted 9 Mar 2014 , 5:35am
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costumeczar Posted 9 Mar 2014 , 1:40pm
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Quote:

Originally Posted by mcaulir 
 

Half an inch thick has been pretty traditional on fruitcakes. The super thin covering is pretty recent, really.

Good point. There are a lot of things that people think are "standard" cake decorating that are recent style choices. Sharp edges on fondant comes to mind.

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sloppybeaver Posted 9 Mar 2014 , 5:47pm
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AI would never roll out fondant half inch thick to put on a cake. 1. That's a waste of fondant 2. It tastes like cardboard and 3. That's really heavy. Today I had one of my other finishers smooth out a cake for me before putting fondant on and it came out really nice.[IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3201048/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

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AZCouture Posted 9 Mar 2014 , 8:18pm
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AOh I know someone who uses it that thick, I saw a pic of a cut slice sent to me by the horrified planner a few years back. Holy grossness.

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MommyMommy Posted 9 Mar 2014 , 9:25pm
post #14 of 22

Curious and confused, half inch fondant or half inch frosting?  Also wondering in regards to this post, whether I am icing a cake and will put fondant over it or not, I seem to always have a problem at some point with my cake coming off/crumbling as I ice it?  I generally ice my cakes after they have been either frozen or refrigerated (which I understand should make it easier?).  Obviously this is a problem if trying to get a smoother fondant.  Also annoying if just trying to ice it smooth.  

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sloppybeaver Posted 9 Mar 2014 , 9:30pm
post #15 of 22

AIf your cake is getting crumbs you are over doing it and going over points and pulling the cake. Think of the cake as shaving, the more you go over the same spot you will get razer burn. Same with a sponge the more and more time you go over with buttercream the more chance of the sponge cracking and mixing with your buttercream

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MommyMommy Posted 9 Mar 2014 , 10:14pm
post #16 of 22

hmm... I wonder if this is in part due to me trying to Crumb coat?  I think I try to go light and then miss spots or feel like to light and then I try to put more on.  Will keep in mind.  Hopefully next time I have more success.  Thank you sloppybeaver!

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AZCouture Posted 9 Mar 2014 , 11:05pm
post #17 of 22

ATrack down "Perfecting the Art of Buttercream" dvd from SugaredProductions. Might have the title wrong, but it's something like that. Very helpful.

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AZCouture Posted 9 Mar 2014 , 11:06pm
post #18 of 22

AReally what you want to do, is overload with butter cream, and scrape it back off leaving a nice smooth layer.

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MommyMommy Posted 10 Mar 2014 , 12:14am
post #19 of 22

Thanks AZCouture!

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costumeczar Posted 10 Mar 2014 , 2:16am
post #20 of 22

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZCouture 

Oh I know someone who uses it that thick, I saw a pic of a cut slice sent to me by the horrified planner a few years back. Holy grossness.

Oh yeah, whenever I get people who say that they don't like fondant I say that you really are only supposed to put it on in a thin layer. A lot of them will say "I went to a wedding and it was about an inch think" so that's not unusual. Some people put it on really thick because they don't want to take the time to smooth out the icing underneath, especially if they're doing ten cakes a day and have to crank them out. Or they just don't know WTH they're doing.

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savannah8 Posted 13 Mar 2014 , 4:01am
post #21 of 22

I feel it is the crumb coat.  check out a good crumb coat recipe.  Edna de la Cruz has a tutorial on you-tube where she used viva paper towel

to smooth the crumb coat after it has crusted.  I always use this method and I get good result with the fondant.

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AZCouture Posted 13 Mar 2014 , 4:06am
post #22 of 22

ASwitch to a meringue icing, and you'll never have to crumbcoat again...one of many awesome benefits of mbcs.

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